Owing to restrictions of available and/or affordable parking spaces in urban areas and of free access to certain, especially inner city, regions by vehicles comprising an internal combustion engine, which restrictions exist owing to environmental regulations for example, drivers of vehicles comprising an internal combustion engine are faced with the problem of reaching a desired location within an inner city region of this kind as quickly as possible. A common solution to this problem could be, for example, to take along a bicycle in the vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, driving to a parking space outside the inner city region, parking the vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine there and riding to the desired location on the bicycle.
The vehicle and the bicycle, which is taken along, form an example of a multimodal transportation apparatus. In this context, the term “multimodal transportation apparatus” is intended to include, in particular, at least driving a vehicle to a location at which the vehicle can be parked, and then riding/driving away from the vehicle to a final destination using further transportation.
Multimodal transportation apparatuses are known from the prior art. By way of example, published document US 2015/0353157 A1 describes an apparatus for multimodal transportation. A unicycle with its own drive is selectively brought into engagement with the vehicle and selectively disengaged from the vehicle for independent use. The unicycle with its own drive includes a hub and a wheel, which is rotatably connected to the hub. A motor is fitted to the hub, and is connected to the wheel in order to rotate the wheel in relation to the hub. The hub includes an engagement feature for selectively engaging with and disengaging from the vehicle. The apparatus thus comprises a motor vehicle and a unicycle. A wheel in which a motor is arranged is arranged on the motor vehicle. The wheel can be disassembled from the motor vehicle and can be mounted on a frame, which is transported in the trunk of the motor vehicle. Therefore, the unicycle is formed, said unicycle being driven by the wheel which was disassembled from the motor vehicle.
A driver can drive the vehicle to a selected location and park the vehicle at the selected location. The driver can then release the wheel comprising a drive from the motor vehicle and fit said wheel to the frame, and can ride the unicycle to a different destination. In other words, the driver uses the vehicle and the unicycle as a multimodal transportation apparatus. The unicycle can be easily and quickly maneuvered in high-traffic areas. Removing the wheel from the vehicle functions as a theft-prevention feature since the vehicle can no longer be used as a transportation means in this state.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,950,977 B2 discloses a toy that comprises a futuristic motorcycle, which can be played with on its own or in a manner integrated in a carrier vehicle. The carrier vehicle comprises a four-wheeled base with paneling, it being possible for the front part of said paneling to be folded open together with two front wheels so as to create space in order to obtain access to the motorcycle. An ejector mechanism is provided in order to discharge the motorcycle from the carrier vehicle under the action of force with the paneling folded open.
WO 2006/095211A1 discloses a two-in-one vehicle that comprises two autonomous four-wheeled passenger motor vehicles of identical design, which can be combined at the rear to form a vehicle that is twice the size. The vehicle that is twice the size is obtained from the two passenger motor vehicles by the rear wheels of said passenger motor vehicles being folded in and stored in a storage area of the vehicle, which is obtained by connection at the rear. The two autonomous passenger motor vehicles that are half the size require less parking area, and are, therefore, better suited for use in inner city areas than the two-in-one vehicle of twice the size. However, one disadvantage of this, amongst others, is the amount of force that has to be manually applied for combining the two smaller passenger motor vehicles and for disconnecting the two-in-one vehicle.
A further proposal for a two-in-one vehicle (under www.auto.de/magazin/split-and-go-variables-fahrzeugkonzept-zwei-in-einem) provides for extending a small four-wheeled passenger vehicle, such as a Smart car, with an extension part that can be coupled to said small four-wheeled passenger vehicle in a piggyback fashion, and is provided with two wheels at its rear. The extension part cannot be driven autonomously, but it comprises, at the front, a ramp for making it easier to couple and uncouple the extension part.
US 2006/023158A1 discloses, by way of example, releasably attaching a motorcycle to a transporting vehicle, such as a pickup truck, by means of a securing apparatus in a piggyback fashion.
In view of the searched prior art, there is further room for improvement in the field of multimodal transportation apparatuses.